Display apparatus



May 9, 1939. M, COOPER 2,157,400

DISPLAY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1937 mlmum QQMQQ 0%5/ M.COOPER DISPLAY APPARATUS May 9, 1939.

Filed May 1., 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invadar fizorals Qagvar 49 wmQwzow/Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for supporting and displayingvarious and sundry goods such as frequently found in grocery stores, asfor instance fruit, vegetables, bottle goods, boxes, or the like.

The objects of this invention are to provide an improved and artisticdisplay apparatus which is adapted for supporting and displaying largequantities of goods or articles in a limited space; to provide a displayapparatus which may be readily adjusted or extended for displayingdifferent articles and to increase or decrease the capacity of the same;to provide a display device having discs or pans for holding goods, andmeans for readily adjusting the same with respect to each other onasupporting member; and to provide such other novel features andimprovements as will be described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention,

Figure 1 is a side View of one form thereof with parts broken away orshown in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view showing one of the supporting discs or pans inreversed position for holding bottles or the like;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a modified form of construction;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional detail of a portion of thedevice shown in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a sectional detail showing another form of pan or disc forsupporting boxes of berries or the like.

My improved display device is particularly intended for carryingrelatively large loads and for this purpose I provide a heavy base l0having a long threaded central hole II for receiving the threaded end l2of a supporting shaft or post l3. The post is provided with a pluralityof pipe sections or spacers [4 which are preferably made in relativelyshort sections for convenience in spacing the supporting pans or discslongitudinally of the post.

The goods supporting members l5 which are carried by the post may be ofvarious forms. As shown in some of the figures these members compriseshallow pans with central disc portions IS with upwardly curved outeredges I! with peripheral flanges or walls I 8 which extend down belowthe discs as shown in Figure 1. The disc portions have holes 19 forreceiving the post. Supporting plates 20 are also provided, these plateshaving holes 2| which fit closely over the post so that each plate ordisc and pan is supported on the next lower spacing member l4 and heldrigidly in position by the upper spacing members which coact therewith.After the supporting members l5 and the spacers have been 5 assembled onthe post or rod they are securely fastened in position by a threaded capor nut 22 which engages with the threaded upper end 23 of the post andwith the upper end of the last spacer or pipe section 14. This nut ispreferably 19 of the acorn type or has a closed extension so that itprovides an ornamental feature and also permits considerable adjustmentof the parts while keeping the end of the bolt covered.

When the trays or supporting members l5 are 15 positioned as shown inFigure 1 the device serves particularly for displaying fruit, vegetablesor the like, which may be placed directly on these trays. Such trays arepreferably finished by being plated and polished or enameled, and theother parts also being attractively finished so that when the fruit orthe like is placed thereon the whole presents a particularly pleasingappearance.

The trays may be differently spaced by changing the number of spreadersbetween the same and such spreaders may also be of various lengths forconvenience in making different adjustments. Additional trays orsupports such as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1 may also bereadily added and for this purpose the relatively long thread of the rodor post [3 serves to provide additional adjustment. For instance thepost may be unscrewed in the base a sulficient number of threads toallow for the thickness of one or more additional discs and plates andthen the parts 3 tightened and clamped together by the nut 22 as will bereadily apparent.

The goods supporting members l5 may also be inverted as shown in Figure3 and in this position the flange l8 will serve to hold the bottles asindicated at 24, or other articles, so that they are not apt to slip offfrom the disc. From this it is seen that my novel form of goods supportor pan will serve for various articles of goods, thus increasing theusefulness of the apparatus.

In the form shown in Figures 4 and 5 the base [0 and other supportingparts are utilized with the goods supporting discs or plates I5 arrangedwith the flanges extending upwardly as in Figure 50 3. Sides orextension bands 25 are inserted in the pans as shown in Figure 5, thusmaking supports in the form of baskets for holding various forms ofgoods. These sides 25 are preferably made of wire as shown so that thegoods will be ill readily seen therethrough although they may be made ofsolid material if desired.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 4, a block of wood or the like 26 ispositioned between the uppermost spreader and the nut and has aplurality of hooks or brackets 21 for supporting bunches of bananas orthe like. If desired, a plurality of such supports may be mounted alongthe post in the manner shown.

The modification shown in Figure 6 illustrates another form of pan orsupporting member 28 having a central fiat disc portion 29 and afrustoconical portion 30 and the outer periphery formed with a groove 3|and flange 32. This supporting member may be mounted on the post in themanner above described and the outer or conical portion providesdesirable space for supporting boxes 33 which may contain peaches,strawberries, or the like. These boxes are held in position by theflange and the tops are presented at a suitable angle for displaying thegoods. It will also be noted that this supporting device 28 may bereversed or used upside down, in which case it provides a relativelydeep pan and the bead around the outer edge which forms the groove 3|serves to retain the goods in the pan.

While I have shown practical and commercial embodiments of my inventionit is apparent that changes may be made in the details of constructionor shape or arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope ofthe invention as set forth in the following claims, in which I claim:

1. A display apparatus comprising a substantial base having an elongatedthreaded hole therein, a post having its lower end provided with acorrespondingly elongated thread engaging with said hole andlongitudinally adjustable therein, a plurality of relatively shorttubular spreaders fitting over the post, trays having central holesengaging with the post and positioned between said spreaders and held inspaced relation thereby, supporting plates mounted on the post beloweach of said trays for strengthening the same, and a hollow nut engagingwith the upper end of the post which is provided with an elongatedthreaded portion for receiving the nut, said nut also engaging with theuppermost spreader for fastening the parts together, said nut alsoproviding for longitudinal adjustment of the post whereby additionaltrays may be inserted or trays removed from between the spreaders andthe parts clamped securely together.

2. In a display apparatus, the combination of a heavy base, a postextending upwardly from the base, one or more pans mounted on the postand having flanges around their outer edges and detachable supportingmembers comprising annular bands engaging with said flanges.

3. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with areversible goods supporting disc having a peripheral bead projectingfrom one side and a groove and flange on the other side, and asubstantially cylindrical wall formed of wire and adapted to engage withsaid groove.

4. In a display apparatus, the combination of a base, a post secured toand extending upwardly from the base, a disc having a center hole forengagement with the post, means for fastening the disc to the post, saiddisc having an outer peripheral depression terminating in an upwardlyextending flange which projects, substantially above the upper surfaceof the disc, and a removable annular supporting member having its loweredge engaging with said depression and extending upwardly beyond thedisc to provide a retaining wall, substantially as described.

5. In a display apparatus, the combination of a base, a post secured toand extending upwardly from the base, a plurality of discs mounted onthe post, spreaders between said discs for holding them in spacedrelation, means engaging with the post for fastening the spreaders anddiscs securely in position, each of said discs having an annularperipheral groove terminating in an upwardly extending flange and eachdisc having an annular reticulated supporting ;wall engaging therewithwith their lower edges fitting in the grooves and held by said flanges,said walls, providing means for supporting articles to be displayed onthe discs, substantially as described.

MORRIS COOPER.

